Lubricant



(No Model.)

P. B. TORREY. LUBRIGANT.

'Patented Sept. 29, 1891.

MEW

UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS B. TORREY, OF BATH, MAINE.

LUBRICANT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iretters Patent N o. 460,410, datedSeptember 29, 1891.. Application filed February 24, 1891. Serial No.382,489. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, FRANCIS B. ToRREY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Bath, in the county of Sagadahoc and State ofMaine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricants,of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement upon a composition heretofore known, ofwood and plumbago, intended to be used as a self-1ubricating materialfor bearings. Heretofore in such compositions the wood has been whollyor partially of fibrous form. These fibers I have found injurious bothin respect to the practical operation of the bearing and to thecoherence and compactness of the ingredients. The wood ingredient may beused as the largest proportion of the mass of the composition; but if inthe form of the fiber or with masses of unbroken fiber-such as exist insawdust, for example-the component parts do not intermix so completelynor pack so densely, and not only require an additional bindingmaterial, but leave on the bearing-surface small portions of clear wood.These intermixed wood fragments have in `themselves too littlecoherence, and in the places Where they occur are not sufficientlylubricant, and when subjected to friction tend to heat.

My object is to provide a perfectly homogeneous composition, uniform inall its parts, dense and coherent, and at the same time self-lubricant.Plumbago or graphite forms an excellent selflubricant,but lackscohesiveness. Ordinary binding materials mixed with it detract from itslubricating qualities. I have discovered that Wood in the form of linedust or meal, so as to be thoroughly intermixed with the plumloago,constitutes in itself a binding material and forms a bearing-surface, inevery part of which the plumbago is practically present and acting as alubricant, andin this form Wood of any kind Will not interfere with orlessen the lubricating qualities of the plumbago. At the same time itllessens the cost of the bearing and binds the plumbago and renders themass when condensed cohesive, solid, and durable. I have also discoveredthat lignnm-vitze Will in this iinely-pulverized condition itself act asa lubricant, and in the practical use of myinvention I prefer thisparticular kind of wood.

In the manufacture of the composition according to my invention I-finelypulverize the plumbago. I reduce the wood also to a finelypulverizedcondition and practically destroy its fibers. This may be done bygrinding a block with the end of the fiberin contact with the stone orby reducing the chips, sawdust, or other waste material in a suitablemanner to a iine granular condition, like dust or meal, and sifting outany fiber remaining therein. The materials When thus finely pulverizedare mixed together, preferably moistened, so as to reduce them to aplastic form. IVhen I use lignum-vitse, I may take three parts of theWood-dust and one part of the plumbago, and thoroughly mix themtogether, after which the material may be molded or pressed into theproper form, and then baked or dried to a proper degree of hardness.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a form of bearing inwhich my invention is applicable.

Figure l of the drawings represents in end elevation a bearing forpulley-sheaves. Fig. 2 is a central axial section of Fig. l.

In the drawings, A is a flanged sleeve, and B indicates the compositionbearing above described. After the composition is put in place withinthe sleeve and molded into proper form the material is baked orthoroughly dried. This form is simple and representative, and for otherforms the material is molded or pressed into the desired shape, andtreated then in the manner above described.

I claim as my invention- `l. A composition of matter for bearings,composed of wood in the condition of dust or meal and pulverizedplumbago mixed together, substantially as described.

2. The composition of matter for bearings, composed of pulverizedlignum-vitae in the condition of dust or meal and pulverized plumbagomixed together, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS B. TORREY.

Witnesses:

HENRY E. COOPER, MARGARET V. COOPER.

